“I hope that at the end of the day, I have helped to enrich the lives of those living with Tourette Syndrome, and erased the stigma associated with TS. I want Tourette Syndrome to become a disorder that is no longer misunderstood and that those living with TS are not marginalized for just being themselves.” – Patricia Phillips
Pat started with NJCTS in 2016 as the Education Outreach Coordinator and was responsible for developing and implementing statewide education and community outreach programs targeting New Jersey’s wide and diverse population before becoming Executive Director in 2020. She successfully led her team through the pandemic while increasing awareness and creating new and innovative programming, including outreach to adults with TS, the UpTic podcast, and an online support group for families. She was a supportive ear to parents at Camp FantasTIC and a friend to the teens at the Leadership Academy. Her positivity and words of encouragement were not reserved for our families, but also her staff. She never signed off a call or a Zoom without a “thank you for all you do.” There was not a day that went by that she didn’t think of Faith Rice and her vision for NJCTS. She vowed to continue the work, and she did.
Pat will be missed by the entire TS community.